About Apnea of Prematurity in children…

• After birth, the infants have to breathe continuously in order to get oxygen.
• The part of the central nervous system which controls breathing which are brain and spinal cord is not yet mature enough in a premature baby.
• The system is not strong enough to allow breathing round the clock.
• This leads to large bursts of breath.
• This is followed by periods of stopped or interrupted breathing.
• The medical term for such a condition is apnea of prematurity and it is in short known as AOP.

About Apnea of Prematurity

• Apnea of prematurity is very common in prime years.
• Doctors generally diagnose the condition prior to the discharge of mother and baby.
• The apnea usually fades away on its own accord upon maturity of the baby.
• Apnea of prematurity does not revert back once it goes away.
• Apnea is a medically known as a condition in which the baby stops breathing.
• Apnea of prematurity is termed as a condition where premature infants breathing spans to about 15 to 20 seconds while sleeping.
• Babies of less than 35 weeks’ gestation period, have dropped heart rates and this is when they stop breathing.
• Bradycardia is the medical term for slowed heart rate.
• The abnormalities in breathing usually begin after 2 days of birth.
• These abnormalities may last for about 2 to 3 months succeeding the birth.
• If the infant’s weight is at low level in premature birth, then the infant is more likely to have AOP.
• The heart rate for an infant with AOP is below 80 beats count per minute.
• These infants appear pale or bluish and this is because of low heart rate.
• Such infant may also appear to be limp.
• Such infant have a noisy breathing.
• They start breathing on their own accord sometimes.
• Sometimes there is some help required to resume breathing.
• AOP and periodic breathing are not same and should not be confused with each other.

Treatment for Apnea of Prematurity

• Premature infants certainly need medical care from the hospital for apnea of prematurity.
• The best care is in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of the hospital.
• Infants with AOP require immediate care and help at birth or their life could be in danger.
• This is so as they have immature lungs which are responsible for the breathing.
• Hence, they need help to breathe on their own.

Medications for Apnea of Maturity

• Intravenous (IV) caffeine medication is given to AOP suffering infants.
• This medication can be given even through mouth.
• This is given to activate breathing.
• They are then taken off this medication.
• Sometimes, it is so while in the NICU.

Monitoring Breathing

• Monitoring of the infants suffering with AOP is essential.
• A monitor known as the cardio-respiratory monitor is used to monitor such infants.
• It is also known as bradycardia, apnea or A/B, monitor.
• It basically tracks the heart rate of that infant.
• There is an alarm which sets off with a beep or sound once the breath is below the set up number or on no breathing.
• The baby is checked for breathing within a time slot of 15 seconds.
• In order to do so, the nurse might rub arms, back and legs of the infant in order to regenerate breathing.